Are calibers above 308 and below 375 destined to wither away?

[hemiford]

You can have my 8mm Rem Mag when you pry it out of my cold dead hands.

 

[fruitnut]

Just out of curiosity, how many game animals, especially large, have you shot at 1,000 yards and beyond with the 308 bore?

Probably as many as you've shot with 338 or bigger. I'm not challenging anyone. How many times do I have to paise the 338???

But for what it's worth we just had posts about elk taken beyond 1000 yds with both 300 NMai and 245 Berger and 7-300 NMai with 180 ELDM. Do you really think a 300 Berger would do better? If so the 410 Berger in 375 caliber would be even better. If that leaves you feeling under gunned I'd suggest the 750 Amax out of a 50 cal BMG.

 

[memtb]

Like 8.6 Balckout maybe?

That should make the "low recoil" advocates very happy!

 

[bdlesh]

I have absolutely no use for anything in the 338-375 range....but what does need vs want have to do with it?
I want a 338 of some Sherman variation, a 375 rum and a 416 something.....want will win out. My shoulder in the other hand...already hurts from the thought of those.

 

[memtb]

I have absolutely no use for anything in the 338-375 range....but what does need vs want have to do with it?
I want a 338 of some Sherman variation, a 375 rum and a 416 something.....want will win out. My shoulder in the other hand...already hurts from the thought of those.

With most of them….the recoil is "waaaay" overrated…..especially when fired from typical hunting positions. Many of those are chambered in rifles too heavy to comfortably carry all day in moderately steep or rough terrain.

If ya get them at around 9# or lighter, shot from the bench, they take on a different personality! But, bench work is a whole different ball game! memtb

 

[MagnumManiac]

The point is that 308 or lesser caliber is entirely adequate to take large game including elk to 1000 yards or beyond. So what use is anything larger unless you are after dangerous game? Then I want 375 or bigger. The smaller calibers are easier and cheaper to shoot.

15-20 years ago, 338 Edge was king of the hill. With the advent of higher BC bullets in smaller calibers that's no longer the case.

The tweeners are devastating and will kill anything but there's something better for everything.

The tweeners do not buck the wind like larger calibres.
This is why in ELR you will not see anything under 338, so how does your synopsis hold up?

Cheers.

 

[fruitnut]

The tweeners do not buck the wind like larger calibres.
This is why in ELR you will not see anything under 338, so how does your synopsis hold up?

Cheers.

Maybe you missed my earlier posts. I've stated several times that nothing below 375 can compete at ELR.

Cheers Mate..!!

 

[RH300UM]

A 275 grain bullet with a Verified G7 of .415 @ 2951fps in a 24 inched barreled 11 lbs ready to hunt rifle gets my vote over anything for my needs!

The 338 rules for long range hunting.

 

[memtb]

RH300UM, darn nice package…….a bit heavy for me……but, darn nice! Should be a shooter! memtb

 

[fruitnut]

View attachment 622699
View attachment 622700 A 275 grain bullet with a Verified G7 of .415 @ 2951fps in a 24 inched barreled 11 lbs ready to hunt rifle gets my vote over anything for my needs!
View attachment 622701
The 338 rules for long range hunting.

What is that a 338 NM ai? What bullet? Very effective I'm sure.

 

[RH300UM]

What is that a 338 NM ai? What bullet? Very effective I'm sure.

Cutting Edge 275 MTH max
338 Norma Mag Improved

 

[RH300UM]

RH300UM, darn nice package…….a bit heavy for me……but, darn nice! Should be a shooter! memtb

Heavy? It's by design to give me precision and recoil recovery.

 

[P7M13]

What development if any could turn this around?

• Affordability of quality rifles,
• Availability and affordability of off-the-shelf ammunition.

Recoil has always been and will always be a factor. As smaller caliber cartridges start to increase in bullet weight, to keep up with the velocities, more powder needs to be used and hence more recoil.
I don't see the 338's going away. 338 WinMag, 338 RUM, 33 Nosler, 338 Lapua and 338 Norma Mag --they're all fine cartridges and they satisfy different needs.
There was a 2K challenge about five or more years back where @Alex Wheeler placed 3rd or 4th, and IIRC he was shooting a 338. The results were posted here on LRH.
@fruitnut, you keep mentioning the 338 Edge. Carlock's design is an excellent cartridge, and he's improved on it since. However, you cannot find readily available ammunition for it, which I would wager eliminates >90% of shooters as people who would use and promote the cartridge.

The small stuff offers very little room for error.

This is exceptionally true. What comes across to me as you quote statistics and BC is that it doesn't seem that you have spent a lot of time shooting the different cartridges. Once you have spent a lot of time (and money) shooting lead at tiny white dots on far away hillsides, you really come to appreciate what the 338 can do well. Sure, my 338 Edge is a tad heavier than @RH300UM's, it is what I bring if I anticipate that I'm shooting past 500. I'm not thrilled that I use a brake for it, but it keeps the recoil down to between a 308 and '06.

It has been mentioned, the burden of a rifle weighing >11 lbs. Have you seen what the Cheytac or Barrett rifles weigh?

What it really comes down to is know your skill and know the limitations of your cartridge.

 

[memtb]

Heavy? It's by design to give me precision and recoil recovery.

I'm a feeble old man…..I need em a bit lighter! If…….I try to hunt like I used to! memtb